-
ISRAEL
- -----
- ISRAEL SAYS JERUSALEM SHRINE COULD CAVE IN
- MSNBC - Enric Marti / AP file - Fearing collapse, officials
want to curb visits during Ramadan. During the observance of
Ramadan, 200,000 Muslims are expected to visit the Jerusalem
shrine known as al-Haram al-Sharif or the Temple Mount. Jewish
and Islamic officials are at odds over the risk that part of
the shrine could collapse under the weight of visitors. -
-
- JERUSALEM - Israel fears part of Jerusalem's most sensitive
shrine may collapse under the weight of Muslims due to pour in
for Ramadan rites soon and wants curbs on the number of worshippers,
officials said on Sunday. The Islamic trust overseeing the site,
known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and
Jews as Temple Mount, denied the mosque in its Solomon's Stables
area was unsafe and accused Israel of looking for a pretext to
take control. It was the latest controversy to flare over a compound
that has been a religious and political tinderbox since Israel
captured Arab East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war, and
especially since a Palestinian revolt erupted in 2000...
- Fear of shock waves - Israeli officials
said any structural catastrophe at the shrine would be blamed
by the Islamic world on Israel and could aggravate violence in
the conflict with Palestinians. Palestinians launched their revolt
in occupied territories after then-Israeli opposition leader
and now Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited the mosque compound
under police escort. Waqf director Adnan Husseini dismissed Israel's
position as part of an 'agenda' to wrest control over the compound
in a long sovereignty dispute with Islamic authorities and Palestinians,
who claim East Jerusalem for the capital of a future state. "I
think there will be no disaster here. This place has existed
for 1,400 years and we have always received hundreds of thousands
of people without any danger," Husseini told Reuters. "Ramadan
is coming and I wish that Israel will allow Muslims coming from
all over Palestine to enter and pray." Jews, who regard
the site as their most sacred for having contained two biblical
temples destroyed in ancient times, have long accused the Waqf
of pursuing unbridled construction to erase evidence of pre-Islamic
civilizations. The Waqf, which converted the Solomon's Stables
cavern into a mosque after the 1993 interim Israeli-Palestinian
peace deal, denies damaging any part of the shrine, Islam's third
holiest with the 7th century al-Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques.
- -----
- ROAD MAP TO PEACE?
- "The United States views the Israeli disengagement from
Gaza as an important opportunity to re-energize the 'road map,'
to take further steps forward toward a better future for Israelis
and Palestinians," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David
Welch said.
ISRAEL WILL MAKE A COVENANT WITH MANY
- "And he (the beast) shall confirm (guarantee) the covenant
with many for one week"(Daniel 9:27).
The beast will confirm (guarantee) Israel's soon-coming covenant
for one week of years (seven years). This confirmation event
indicates the very first day of the seven-year tribulation.
Can the beast confirm a non-existent treaty? NO. The treaty
must come into existence before the first day of the tribulation.
Can the beast confirm the agreement if he is not already in
a position of great political authority to do so? NO. The beast
must already be in position before the tribulation begins. Israel's
covenant is now in the works. President Bush has developed a
"road map" to Israeli-Palestinian peace. This "road
map" has been adopted by the European Union (EU), Russia
and the United Nations (UN). These four are called "the
Quartet." Indeed, Israel's covenant will be with many!
For the full article:
- http://www.cephas-library.com/israel/israel_israel_will_make_covenant_with_many.html
- -----
- U.S. ANTI-SEMITISM: COULD THE UNTHINKABLE OCCUR?
The shores of the United States have been a historical anomaly
for the Jewish people. America is one of only a handful of nations
on earth in which Jews have been accepted as equals, and accorded
all of the rights, privileges and freedoms of her citizens.
America's first president, George Washington, wrote a letter
in 1790 to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island:
"May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in
this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other
Inhabitants, while every one shall sit under his own vine and
fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid."
The words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty's pedestal echo
the sated hunger of Jews in America after more than 17 centuries
of unending global persecution and wandering: "Give me your
tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."
The poem's author, Emma Lazarus, was Jewish. Fittingly, America's
most visible symbol of freedom is wreathed with words breathed
from a Jewish heart.
But despite America's pure foundations, the disease of anti-Semitism
has surfaced from time to time throughout our history. And what
of today? How successfully has America fended off societal decay,
of which widespread anti-Semitism is but a symptom?
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) conducts an annual survey entitled
"Survey of American Attitudes Towards Jews in America".
As the annual survey shows, a resilient and hard-core base of
Jew-haters reside in the U.S.,, with evidence suggesting a large
part of this core is actively working to spread their poison
across this nation.
One trend is of particular concern. Militant Islam is rapidly
spreading its tentacles across America. One of the few Islamic
moderates in this country, Muhammad Hisham Kabbani of the Islamic
Supreme Council of America, estimated that "extremists"
have taken over 80% of the mosques in the U.S. These extremists
are working single-mindedly to turn America into an Islamic state,
with the Koran as its foundation.
The campaign is not limited to mosques. It also includes Islamic
community centers, newspapers, schools, youth groups, political
organizations, professional associations and business activities,
all involved in recruiting, training, supporting and coordinating
its members.
Substantial segments within the Black American community are
converting to militant Islam or have fallen under its influence.
Louis Farrakhan [head of the Nation of Islam, an American militant
Black Islamic group] and Malik Zulu Shabazz [the virulent anti-Semitic
leader of the New Black Panther Party] have successfully courted
and enlisted several mainstream Black organizations and political
groups in the Millions More March campaign in Washington DC,
scheduled for October 14-16.
A second trend of concern is the millions of illegal immigrants
flowing into the U.S. from Mexico and Central and South America.
It is estimated approximately one million immigrants illegally
slipped into the U.S. from Mexico in 2004. Hispanics, heavily
influenced by the historically anti-Semitic Catholic Church,
are quickly becoming a major force in America's political, cultural,
judicial and social landscape. Hispanics already out-number whites
in America's eighth largest city, San Antonio, Texas.
Please note that Hispanics and Blacks themselves are not, as
a group, anti-Semitic, but the numerical quantity of individuals
within these two groups has an increased tendency towards anti-Semitic
beliefs.
Throughout history, outbreaks of Jewish persecution would often
follow on the heels of catastrophe. During the European Black
Death, Jews were fingered as causing the pestilence by poisoning
the wells. Thousands were massacred.
Ominously, in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, rumors
that a visiting Israeli delegation stayed away from the World
Trade Center were immediately picked up by the Associated Press
and other mainstream media outlets and broadcast nationally.
The implication, at best, was the Israelis knew in advance of
the attacks. At worse, that the Israelis, or domestic or international
clandestine Jewish groups, had perpetrated the attacks. The Internet
is full of American anti- Semitic literature "proving"
the Jews carried out the 9/11 attacks.
Many Americans are also buying the Islamic/anti-Semitic subterfuge
that Islamic terror attacks against America are the result of
America's support of Israel. By extension, the Jews are responsible
for Islamic terror attacks against the US. Remove the Jews, the
logic goes, and remove the cause of Islamic terrorism. The great
concern for American Jews should be whether history will repeat
itself. Will the Jews, as they have in almost every other nation
on earth, be held as the scapegoats for whatever future disaster
befalls this land? And what will the reaction be if future terror
attacks employ WMD [Weapons of Mass Destruction] in one or more
American cities?
As 9/11 shows, even the mainstream American media is not immune
from singling out Jews in the immediate aftermath of a major
terrorist event. The trends in America are disturbing. History
has an irritating way of repeating itself. America has been an
anomaly, but anomalies are just that: temporary, isolated events,
which eventually conform to pattern.
The question remains: Will America forever defy the historical
pattern? Don't bet on it.
(By Caleb Corbin, Arutz 7, www.israelnationalnews.com,
September 20, 2005)
- -----
- ISRAEL AND PA SIGN AGREEMENT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF JOINT TRANSPORTATION
OFFICE (Communicated by the Transportation Minister's Bureau)
21 September 2005 Transportation Minister Meir Shetrit and his
Palestinian Authority (PA) counterpart, Saed-Eddine Khurma, today
21.9.05, signed an agreement on establishing a joint transportation
office, assisted and financed by the European Union (EU).According
to the agreement, the EU will provide Euro 2.5 million to establish
the office, the objective of which will be to initiate and plan
joint Israel-PA transportation projects. The EU has committed
itself to examine generous financing for any projects that are
agreed upon. ( www.imra.org.il)
- -----
- U.S. EASES OOPPOSITION TO HAMAS PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS
U.S. never expressly opposed. THE DAILY STAR (Lebanon) 21 September
2005 - By Majdoline Hatoum, Daily Star staff At a news conference
of the Middle East diplomatic "Quartet" here, Rice
reiterated the U.S. view that there was a "fundamental contradiction"
between Hamas' armed activities and its plan to run in January's
legislative polls. But she added, "We understand that the
Palestinian political system is in transition, that it is in
transition toward a democratic system and that that has to be
a Palestinian process." "I think we have to give the
Palestinians some room for the evolution of their political process,"
the chief U.S. diplomat said.
O.K. TO TERRORIST HAMAS TAKEOVER
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has threatened to withhold
all cooperation in election preparations if Hamas, considered
by Israel and the U.S. as a terrorist group, is allowed to run.
But Rice said, "We would hope that the elections can go
forward and that everyone will cooperate to make those elections
go forward because elections are fundamental to the continued
evolution and development of the Palestinian process." (
www.imra.org.il)
-----
- PRESENCE OF ISRAELI CITIZENS INSIDE THE GAZA STRIP IS PROHIBITED
IDF SPOKESPERSON UPDATE - September 20th, 2005 - Guidelines for
entry of media personnel holding Israeli citizenship into the
Gaza Strip In light of the current situation in the Gaza Strip
following the evacuation of all IDF forces and the security risk
involved in entering the area, the presence of Israeli citizens
inside the Gaza Strip is prohibited. However, specific members
of the public, allowed in the past to enter the territories in
the Gaza Strip under PA jurisdiction may now submit requests
for special entry permits. Media personnel holding Israeli citizenship
may enter the Gaza Strip with advance coordination with the IDF
Spokesperson Office. Media personnel are encouraged to contact
the IDF Spokesperson's office prior to their arrival at the Erez
Crossing to allow sufficient time for authorization. ( www.imra.org.il)
- -----
- JEWISH SYNAGOGUES IN GAZA STRIP SETTLEMENTS BY-PRODUCT OF
THE ISRAELI BELLIGERENT OCCUPATION THAT HAD TO BE REMOVED LIKE
OTHER DESTROYED STRUCTURES. - PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human
Rights - Press Release - 20 September 2005 - PCHR monitored the
issue of demolition of Jewish synagogues in Gaza Strip settlements
with utmost concern. The Israeli government raised this issue
during the implementation of the "Disengagement Plan"
and again after destroying structures in the evacuated settlements.
PCHR's concern about the Israeli government's position continued
after it changed from that of support for the destruction of
the "houses used as synagogues" to rejecting their
destruction, as they were deemed religious buildings with untouchable
sanctity. The Israeli government went further and requested international
guarantees to protect these structures. PCHR observed reactions
to this issue, especially from Jewish religious institutions,
which transformed the issue into a public opinion affair inside
Israel and at the international level, and succeeded in changing
the
Israeli government position to demand international guarantees
to protect the synagogues.
Israeli settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
(OPT), including settlement areas and the structures included
herein, such as settlement homes, public buildings, schools,
kindergartens, religious buildings and the settlement infrastructure,
constitute a war crime under international humanitarian law.
Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention
of 1949 prohibits an occupying power from transferring parts
of its civilian population to the occupied territory. Article
85 of the Protocol Additional to the Convention (Protocol I)
considers it a war crime to transfer members of the civilian
population of the occupying power to an occupied territory.
- -----
- EU MONITORING ROLE NEGOTIATED FOR RAFAH
Media Reports: Israel Agreed in Principle to EU Policing Gaza-Egypt
Border 20/09/2005
www.palestine-pmc.com/details.asp?cat=1&id=993 - Palestine
Media Center - PMC
The Gaza Strip-Egypt border will reopen only as part of an international
agreement, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday, following
media reports that Israel has agreed in principle to a European
Union role in policing Gaza's border crossing of Rafah.
"The (border) terminal will be open when there is an international
agreement," Abbas said...
On the Egyptian side of the border, hundreds of troops with automatic
rifles and armored vehicles took up positions. Under an agreement
with Israel, Egypt was deploying 750 border guards to prevent
the illegal crossing of goods and people.
- -----
- EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO SUPPORT PALESTINIANS WITH EUR 280
MILLION IN 2005
http://english.wafa.ps/body.asp?id=4078 - PLO News Agency - BRUSSELS
September 20, 2005 The European Commission (EC) announced that
its allocation to the Palestinians in 2005 will be at around
EUR 280 million. On the eve of the Quartet meeting (EU, US, UN
and Russia) in New York on September 20, the European Commission
said this package includes a substantial contribution to tackling
the priorities identified by Quartet Special Envoy James Wolfensohn
in the aftermath of the Israelis' withdrawal from Gaza.
- ----
- ISRAEL PREPARES FOR ROCKET STRIKES
TEL AVIV [MENL] -- Israel's military has launched preparations
to respond to the prospect of Palestinian missile and rocket
strikes on major cities in the Jewish state. Military sources
said the General Staff has assessed that over the last week Palestinian
insurgents and the Palestinian Authority obtained weapons that
could change the balance of power with Israel. They said these
weapons could threaten such major Israeli cities as Ashkelon
as well as Israeli civilian and military aircraft in much of
southeastern Israel. "We are now operating on the assessment
that the Palestinians have Katyusha rockets that could travel
at least 25 kilometers as well as surface-to-air missiles,"
a military source said. On Sunday, thousands of Hamas fighters,
many of them in military uniforms, paraded through the streets
of Gaza City to celebrate the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza
Strip. Hamas exhibited hundreds of rocket-propelled grenade launchers
and a range of missiles, including what operatives termed the
enhanced Kassam-class, short-range missile.
- ----
- U.S. EASES RULES ON AID TO EGYPT
WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The United States has significantly eased
requirements
for aid to Egypt.Officials said the U.S. Agency for International
Development has agreed to
ease conditions for more than $1 billion in funding to help Egypt's
economy and social services. They said the State Department has
sought to ensure this funding despite Egypt's longtime failure
to fulfill the terms of assistance. AID has accepted a State
Department recommendation that would facilitate the relay of
$800 million to Egypt under the Cash Transfer Program -- meant
to help the economy as well as health, education and environment
-- over the next three years, officials said. They said the United
States has shelved hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. civilian
aid to Egypt because it failed to carry out economic and civil
reforms. In July 2005, the Government Accountability Office detailed
the U.S. effort to ease Egyptian aid requirements. The report
by the congressional watchdog was ordered by House International
Relations Committee chairman Rep. Henry Hyde amid questions regarding
the feasibility of U.S. aid to Cairo.
- ------
- CANADA MUST STOP FUNDING PALESTINIAN TERRORISM
Toronto, Canada - Saturday, 17 September 2005 - On September
15, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced from New York that Canada
will give another $24.5 million to the Palestinian Authority
(PA). This past May, Mr. Martin announced $12.2 million in aid
during the visit to Canada of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, bringing
the total Canadian aid to the Palestinians to $310 million since
1993... Since receiving Canadian tax dollars, President Abbas
has reneged on all his commitments. Specifically, (1) PA Foreign
Minister Nasser al-Kidwa publicly declared in June that the PA
will not disarm Hamas and other terrorist groups under its jurisdiction;
(2) Not a single textbook denying the existence of Israel and
preaching the destruction of "the Zionist entity" has
been removed or revised; and (3) Abbas himself, speaking to a
group of
high school students and educators in Gaza, glorified suicide
bombing when he declared, "What has been achieved here [in
Gaza] is due to the martyrs." "When money is given
on the understanding that certain commitments to peace will be
undertaken, the open declaration by the recipient that those
commitments will not he honoured should mean, at a minimum, that
funding
would stop," said Gordon. "Instead, our Prime Minister
rewards bad faith with another $24.5 million from Canadian taxpayers."
- -----
- PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS BLAST SHARON'S UN SPEECH
However the reported summit meeting came on the backdrop of Palestinian
officials blasting Sharon's UN speech on Thursday as a public
relations ploy, deceptive and insufficient.
The right of the Jewish people to the "Land of Israel does
not mean disregarding the rights of others in the land,"
Sharon said in his speech before the United Nations General Assembly.
"They [Palestinians] are also entitled to freedom and to
a national, sovereign existence in a state of their own."
In his speech, Sharon referred to Jerusalem as Israel's "undivided
and
eternal capital" and said Israel would continue building
the West Bank Apartheid Wall until the Palestinians end terror.
The Palestinians insist to have Jerusalem as the capital of an
independent Palestinian state on the territories Israel occupied
in 1967. Sharon added that he reaches out "to our Palestinian
neighbors in a call for reconciliation and compromise to end
the bloody conflict, and embark on the path which leads to peace
and understanding between our peoples." Sharon said he viewed
this as "my calling and my primary mission for the coming
years."
- -----
- AL-KIDVA CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION
http://english.wafa.ps/body.asp?id=4047 - NEW YORK, September
17, 2005, (WAFA-PLO news agency)- Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Nasser Al-Kidwa, stressed the necessity of an immediate international
intervention for solving the debatable issues with the Israeli
side, and implementing the Road Map plan. During a supper organized
Friday by the Socialist International, in New York, Al-Kidwa
pointed out the importance of implementing Sharm Al-Sheikh understandings
and ending the construction of the Apartheid Wall as well as
to halt colonization. IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il
- -----
- MOI: IOF EVACUATED 4 WB COLONIES WITHOUT PRIOR COORDINATION
http://english.wafa.ps/body.asp?id=4054 - GAZA, September 17,
2005, (WAFA-PLO news agency)- Ministry of Interior (MOI) affirmed
that the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) suddenly evacuated four
colonies in the north of the West Bank (WB) without any prior
coordination with the Palestinian security forces. In a statement
issued Saturday, MOI said that the Palestinian forces did not
assume responsibility of the evacuated colonies, saying that
IOF have completely left what so called Homesh colony. IMRA -
Independent Media Review and Analysis Website: www.imra.org.il
- -----
- WOULD THE WORLD BE SILENT IF ISRAEL DESTROYED MOSQUES?
ZOA: PALESTINIAN DESTRUCTION OF GAZA SYNAGOGUES ONLY LATEST IN
HISTORY OF DESTROYING JEWISH HOLY SITES - New York - September
12, 2005 - With Israel's unilateral retreat from Gaza, synagogues
abandoned intact have been destroyed by Palestinian mobs. "Hours
after the Israelis left the settlement of Neve Dekalim, young
Palestinians were tearing aluminum window frames and metal ceiling
fixtures out of the main synagogue there, as fires burned inside.
The Palestinian flag and the flag of the militant group Hamas
flew from the roof . The Palestinian leadership said it respected
places of worship" (New York Times, September 12). Despite
claiming respect for Judaism, the PA has a long, disgraceful
record of allowing synagogues and sanctuaries to be attacked
and destroyed wherever it has been in control:
* September 1996: Palestinian rioters destroy a synagogue at
Joseph's Tomb in Nablus.
* October 2000: Joseph's Tomb burnt down after the Israeli garrison
guarding it was temporarily withdrawn during Palestinian attacks.
It has since been rebuilt by the Palestinian Authority - as a
mosque honoring a Muslim figure.
* October 2000: The ancient synagogue in Jericho was deliberately
torched and completely destroyed, while another historic synagogue
in the city, with an ancient mosaic floor, is damaged and lies
derelict.
* Since 1996, Rachel's Tomb near Bethlehem has been attacked
numerous times by snipers, bombs and Molotov cocktails, forcing
the Israel Defense Forces to build elaborate defenses and deploy
extensive personnel around it.
- -----
- ANARCHY IN GAZA STRIP
Ynet reporter provides snapshot of mayhem inside Gaza Strip.
Mobs loot, vandalize evacuated communities, gunmen can be seen
everywhere, as Palestinian security forces watch Ali Waked, Gaza
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3141075,00.html
The synagogue itself has turned into an improvised base for security
forces. One of the officers on the scene, Ahmed Hilas, promised
journalists the Palestinian Authority will put an end to the
chaos in "three to four days." IMRA - Independent Media
Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il
- -----
- POLL: 3 PARTY COMPOSITION SCENARIOS
3-way Sharon 31% Netanyahu 29% Landau 24%, 2-Way Netanyahu 41%
Landau 39% Aaron Lerner Date: 9 September 2005 Dahaf for Yediot
Ahronot 498 Adult Israelis (including Israeli Arabs) - 6 September
2005
Four election scenrios. Results in mandates. Current Knesset
in
[brackets]
31 00 00 [40] Likud-if no split - Likud headed by Netanyahu
00 00 19 [40] Likud-Netanyahu party
00 00 27 [00] New party headed by Sharon
00 41 00 [00] Likud-if no split - Likud headed by Sharon
27 19 18 [21] Labor (with Amir Peretz's One Nation)
14 11 13 [15] Shinui
10 11 09 [11] Shas
09 09 09 [08] Arab parties
07 07 07 [06] Yachad [Meretz]
05 05 04 [07*] National Union
05 05 03 [07*] Yisrael Beiteinu [Lieberman]
06 06 06 [05] Yahadut Hatorah
06 06 05 [06] NRP
* National Union ran with Yisrael Beiteinu with total 7 mandates
550 Members of the Labor Party surveyed 6-7 September 2005: Who
do you want as chairman of the Labor Party and its candidate
for prime minister?
Peres 41% Peretz 16% Barak 14% Vilnay 14% Ben Eliezer 6%
498 Members of the LIKUD Party surveyed 6-7 September 2005: Who
do you want as chairman of the Likud Party and its candidate
for prime minister?
3-way Sharon 31% Netanyahu 29% Landau 24%
2-ways:
Sharon 38% Netanyahu 47%
Landau 39% Netanyahu 41%
If all goes according to plan Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will
truly make history tomorrow when for the first time in both modern
and possibly ancient history the army of the Jewish People will
intentionally and deliberately destroy every synagogue in Gush
Katif.
Today Sharon faces the rage of the religious community for destroying
Jewish places of worship and will no doubt face the rage of the
national camp as scenes of Palestinians celebrating the "liberation"
of the Jewish communities of Gush Katif are broadcast after the
retreat.
Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review &
Analysis) http://www.imra.org.il
- -----
- PENTAGON CONTRACT ANNOUNCEMENT
(Source: US Department of Defense; issued Sept. 6, 2005)[With
thanks to www.defense-aerospace.com ] Raytheon Systems dba Raytheon
Systems Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a
$17,140,440 ceiling-priced modification to a previously awarded
firm-fixed price contract (N00019-03-C-0003) for 150 AIM-9M/9X
tactical missiles, 30 spare guidance control sections, and eight
guidance control system containers for the Government of Saudi
Arabia under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be
performed in Tucson, Ariz. (93 percent) and Andover, Mass., (7
percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2006. Contract
funds
will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval
Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting
activity.
- -----
- BUSH RENEGES ON PROMISE THAT ISRAEL RETAINS MAJOR POPULATION
CENTERS
September 6, 2005 - Contact Morton A. Klein at: www.zoa.org New
York - Both the New York Times and the Jerusalem Post reported
that "Israel has bowed to United States pressure" and
decided not to build apartments on the outskirts of Maale Adumin,
a large Jewish community near
Jerusalem. Over 30,000 Jews reside there. This housing development
is within the existing community and does not create a new "settlement".
The Bush Administration pressure on Israel is most surprising
since President Bush gave Israeli PM Ariel Sharon, a written
promise that Israel should retain at least all the areas with
major Jewish populations in Judea and
Samaria. In fact, Sharon often hawked this promise as a quid
pro quo for retreating from Gaza and Northern Shomron. In this
written promise, President Bush said, "The United States
appreciates the risks leaving Gaza represents. I therefore want
to reassure you...In light of new realities on the ground, including
already existing major Israeli populations centers, it
is unrealistic to expect that the outcome of final status negotiations
will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of
1949..." IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis Website:
www.imra.org.il
- -----
- PA GETS 50 MILLION FROM THE U.S., THEN CALLS FOR TERROR AGAINST
U.S. SOLDIERS
Palestinian Media Watch Bulletin - September 6, 2005 - www.pmw.org.il
- PA gets $50m from US, then calls for terror against US soldiers
- By Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook
Radio and television sermons by senior PA religious officials
in the past week have presented the US as foremost among the
"heretical" countries, and as an enemy trying to dismantle
the Islamic world.
"The [Palestinian] National Authority yesterday signed an
agreement with the US Government, to the value of 50 million
dollars. According to the agreement, Washington will provide
the National Authority with a grant for funding housing and infrastructure
projects. On the Palestinian side, Finance Minister Dr. Salam
Fayad, signed [the agreement] and for the American side, the
US Consul General, Jacob Willis, and the vice manager of the
US Agency for International Development, David Harden, signed
the agreement". [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, August 25, 2005] IMRA
- Independent Media Review and Analysis Website: www.imra.org.il
- -----
- ABBAS TP MEET BUSH, PUTIN AND BLAIR IN NEW YORK
Palestinian Leader: Meeting with Sharon Has to Be Official, Part
of Negotiations 04/09/2005
Palestine Media Center - PMC Official PA website www.palestine-pmc.com/details.asp?cat=1&id=978
Ahead of a Quartet meeting in New York on September 20 and a
summit meeting with US President George W. Bush on September
14, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday that peace
talks with Israel should resume immediately after the completion
of the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip, but did not expect
a meeting soon with Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
because "Sharon until now has not shown any readiness to
sit together with the Palestinians to discuss all the outstanding
issues." Meanwhile the United States is urging its allies
to refrain from pressuring Israel to make further "concessions"
to the Palestinians in a bid to
strengthen Sharon, in light of the difficulties he faces in remaining
chairman of the ruling Likud party, the New York Times reported
Sunday.
- -----
- THE CHAMISH PLAN FOR GUSH KATIF
- Why should the architects of the Gush Katif expulsion sleep
soundly in their homes when they have made 10,000 innocent people,
mostly children, homeless? They deserve not a moment's peace
so long as even one of their victims remains without a just and
complete compensation for his misery.
And that is why the refugees will get out of their caravans and
hotels and set up tent residences opposite the homes of the architects
of their expulsion. They will begin by moving a few dozen families
to Sde Eliahu where the government's expulsion director, Yonathan
Bassi lives. They will make his home a prison, just as theirs
are.
Then the tent villages will spread to the homes of every bureaucrat,
politician, army and police officer responsible for Gush Katif
and Northern Samaria's abandonment. It is a small country and
finding the addresses will be no problem. Every night, those
responsible for the tragedy will be awoken from their sleep.
Every morning their children will be reminded of what their fathers
caused the children of Gush Katif.
It will be a long struggle with lots of police harassment, but
it will be far more dignified than sleeping helplessly in hotels
and caravans. And it will make the government a great deal more
reluctant to try "disengaging" Jews again.
The refugees will take their children out of school and prepare
for a long struggle. It may be many months, perhaps years, until
the government relents. That will require supplies and lots of
them. I will empty my wallet for this and join the refugees in
their tents. And I won't be alone.
However, if Gush Katif refuses to fight back, they will get nothing
from me. And I won't be alone.
Nobody admires a beggar for long. chamish@netvision.net.il
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